Angel Eyes
by hawkstout
Summary: Jay/Dick - Jason wakes up in the ruins of a building and doesn't remember why. The replacement is yelling in his ear. Is he okay? What about Dick? Where's Dick? Jason saves Dick's life, but Dick might have lost something important.


Notes: So I was having some writer's block and decided to ask for some prompts on tumblr. I got three story ideas. They're all part of **Hawkstout's Midnight Madness Tumblr Prompts.** They're connected in no way except that they were all written on the same night. This is fingerstripesandcowls' prompt for: "Jay/dick Dick ends up disabled after a mission goes wrong and Jason reluctantly assists him after being contacted by Alfred or Tim or something? idek change it however you wish." It's a bit reinterpreted (his help isn't so reluctant), but here it is! Hope you like it!

* * *

The first thing I register when my ears stop ringing and colour comes back is that I have no idea why I'm in a building partially buried under rubble, but I better get the hell out of there. The second is Tim Drake's voice whining in my ear. I look around, but there's no one beside me. With great effort I pull one of my hands free and tap my right ear. Yep, there's a comm. What the fuck am I doing plugged in with the Replacement? Weird days are weird.

_"Red Hood! Can you hear me? Are you guys okay?! Red Hood!?"_

"I'm here, I'm here," I grumble. Sound is still kind of off. Tinnitus bites and I really hope it's not going to be permanent. "What do you mean 'you guys'?" I look around. Was Batman here too?

_"Thank God. What about Dick—? Robin! Give me that ba—"_

_"Red Hood you idiot! Where the hell is Grayson?!" _

Bat-Brat in my ear is about the last thing I need. I remove myself from the wreckage. It must have been a warehouse, but I have no memory entering it, or what I was doing all night for that matter that would bring me here with Dick…apparently… I don't see him—shit.

That was definitely a hand sticking out of that pile of wood. I move as quickly as possible. Bit of a limp, but everything else is alright. Got caught under a triangle of space that stopped the worst of the building from crushing me. Looked like Dick wasn't so lucky. Shit, shit, shit. I threw off debris. The brat was still speaking furiously in my ear with that annoying high-pitched growl of his.

"He's hurt, shut up I'm checking if he's alive." I don't mince words. I don't like him that much anyway and he's only making things worse for me. I do feel the tiniest pull of guilt when the comm. goes dead silent. At last I find his head. He's breathing.

"He's breathing."

I hear the smallest sigh of relief. I try not to roll my eyes.

"I don't know how you do it Dickie-bird. How come those two like you so much, but we never got along?" I carefully touch his face. He gives a small groan. I grin. Okay, he's conscious and not screaming, good sign, good sign.

"Morning Sunshine," I grab his arms and try to pull. He moves easy enough.

"Jay?"

He opens his eyes, he looks dazed.

"Yeah babe, we gotta stop meeting like this."

"Something's wrong."

His sky blue eyes are suddenly open wide, he lost his mask somewhere. He clings at me frantically.

"Settle down, you're fine."

"It's dark."

"Yeah, well there's no lights in here," I grumble. "it's not that dark." The flashlight attached to my belt was actually hitting him right in the face.

"No, Jay…I…" he's holding on hard now and I get this sinking feeling. I wave my hand in front of his eyes, he doesn't reaction.

"Shit," I breathe.

_"Is he alright?"_

_"Is he conscience?!"_ Now it's both the little birds buzzing in my ear. I pull out the comm. and throw it to the side.

"I can't see."

He sounds so damn broken and I want to run away. Instead I pull his arms so that they're wrapped around my neck.

"Jay, I can't—"

"Sh," I tell him because I can't deal with that right now. I don't remember how we got here, why we're here and who exploded the goddamn warehouse. I pull him up. He's not wearing his suit, he's in jeans and nothing else. There are scratches all over his body, but it seemed like most of the rubble landed on his arms. Nothing broken. The one night he's not wearing modified Kevlar he lucks out.

"Hold still."

He's silent and I run my hand through his hair feeling his head. I withdraw when I don't find the giant bump I expect to find. I'm still holding him in a half hug. He's clinging to me. I don't think I've ever seen him so vulnerable. It frightens me a bit, but I need to stay calm.

"Why are we here?" I ask him urgently. It was stupid to throw the comm. away, stupid, stupid! "I got a goose egg on my noggin so fill me in." Distract both of us from the knowledge that you can't see.

"I think you were trying to save me."

That sounds like loveable old me. It looks like I was doing a piss poor job of it though.

"From who?"

"Doesn't matter."

"From who?" I demand.

"You killed them."

"_Good_. Why'd I kill them?" I probably had a good reason for it, but I'd better check.

"The serial murderer."

I thought hard. It was on the edge of memory. Some guy running around kidnapping young men, raping them. He removed their eyes and then—

My grip suddenly tightens around him.

"You still have your eyes," I reassure him.

"Yeah, I know," he says, "I can feel them." He's annoyed at my reassurances, but what the fuck was I supposed to do?

"Did he touch you?"

He shook his head.

"Are you lying to make me feel better?"

"Why would I want to make _you_ feel better?" He asks trying to use his humour as a shield. It wasn't working, I could _feel_ him quietly freaking out.

"You're alright," I say it more to myself than him.

"He had a camcorder."

"It's a wreck in here Dickie, I'm not going to be able to—"

"It was set up near the entrance, it might be salvageable. You need to get it. If the cops find it they'll know you killed him."

"Covering for me now?"

He doesn't respond. I want to bait him, but then he says:

"…I think it was a paralytic or something, I think that I might… It might not be—"

"Yeah," I cut him off because I don't want to hear that broken hope. He's fucked. He's completely fucked and he seems to know it. I realize he has no shoes on. My stomach rolls thinking about what that freak was planning to do to him. I lift him bridal style. He doesn't protest.

"Why was I the one saving you?" I ask as I carefully make my way out of the rubble. Keep me focused on something else. "Not that I mind saving a cute little damsel in distress like you, but isn't this usually Batman's job… or the Replacement's?"

He has his face buried on my shoulder and I realize he's pretending that his vision is blocked.

"Actually it's usually Damian's now," he says quietly. "But Batman, Robin and Red Robin are on a mission in Tokyo last I checked. I guess they called you or you stumbled on to it."

I forced myself to focus, try and remember. Nothing. Last thing I remember was eating fish sticks at the worst seafood restaurant I had ever had the displeasure of patronizing.

I finally clear the rubble and look around. It wasn't a warehouse after all, it was a barn. A barn in Gotham?

"We're not in Gotham, are we?"

"At least four hours outside it," He confirmed. I place him on the grass. He stands. His arms are still wrapped around me.

"I'm going to find the camera and the comm. Just… just stand here and look pretty. It's all you're good for anyway."

I expect a quip in response about how I was just jealous of his natural beauty, but he's dead silent. I pull away and he wraps his arms around himself.

He's just cold I tell myself.

I move back into the barn. He was right, the camcorder isn't hard to find, but it's smashed. I pull out the CD and place it in my inside pocket. I wade through the rubble to where I had found Dick and dig around. Aha.

I shove the comm. in my ear.

"Still there?" I ask.

_"YOU STUPID MOTHER F—"_

_"Jason." _

Oh good it's Batman. God the kid swearing his head off at my stupidity would be preferable at least it blocks out the residual tinnitus.

"Hi," I greet moving back towards Dick. He's shaking very slightly and blindly facing the direction I'm coming from. Any sounds from other angles and he'd quickly turn his head.

_"Status?"_

He was keeping things short. That was probably for the best. I don't want to argue with him right now and whenever he speaks to me I have the urge to throw his words back in his face.

"He's blind." I whisper it, but Dick still hears me his ears making up for his eyes. He gets this horrible look on his face like what I said is a betrayal, but his eyes are fixed just to the right of me.

Batman's silent for a very long moment. It gives me enough time to reach Dick again. I carefully take his hand and squeeze it. He moves in and clings to me again. Fuck it. I wrap my arms around him. I'm scared too. It's no secret to me how I feel about him. I'm in love with him. It's just been shit getting in my way. The family feud. My own vendetta. Bruce Fucking Wayne. I can shove that aside and be a human for one night, especially if it's for him.

_"Did he take his—"_

"No," I say very quickly. "No, it's just some sort of chemical."

_"That's good, it means his vision has a chance of returning."_

I feel flutters of relief. When Dick said it he was grasping at straws, but even though Batman causes me all sorts of bitter resentment it still feels like he can fix all the problems of the world if he puts his mind to it. Probably why he disappoints me so much.

_"Put him on."_

I don't want to because I'm feeling protective and Bruce Wayne always somehow makes me feel like crap. I remind myself that it's different between them. Batman loves his first Robin, a lot.

"I'm going to put the comm. in your ear," I tell him. He nods. I push it in his ear.

"… … … I'm okay," He lies. Batman's good little soldier. "No, he didn't touch me, just my eyes. I probably have a concussion. Jay has short-term memory loss. Is that Tim and Damian in the background? They can hear me right? … … … okay, don't worry guys I'm fine, Jason's looking after me." I realise how tightly he's pressed against me when I can feel his lips curl into a smile against my neck. "That's not a nice thing to say about your big brother guys." He's teasing me, but it doesn't make me feel much better. His vision is still a maybe and we're in the middle of ass nowhere with no medical supplies on hand. He's barefoot and shirtless and I'm dressed as an urban vigilante. Least I'm not wearing my helmet, wonder where that went. I pull off my mask and shove it in my pocket. Best to be Jason Todd if anyone happens upon us.

"Yeah… I understand. No, I'll be fine. My vision's actually already clearing." I open my mouth pulling him back a little so I could express my relief, but as soon as I see his face I know he's lying. "Finish your mission. Don't cut it short on account of me. I'm fine. It's just a matter of getting home now, I promise." Dick leaned his head against my shoulder tiredly. He keeps his voice bright.

"Yeah… … … no, he's dead… … … he died in the explosion. He rigged the place. As soon as Jason showed up he lit it up. Guess he didn't want to get taken in… … … No… no it wasn't Jason." He's lying again. I feel a righteous joy that I was the man that took that monster's life.

"I'm gonna leave you to it. Jay'll get me home, tell Alfred I'm fine… … … yeah… yeah me too. Okay. See you guys later."

He pulled out the comm. and slumped in my arms.

"Why'd you lie?"

"They'll be in Tokyo for at least a week. By then my vision will come back or it won't. It'll give me time to…"

Get used to it.

"Damn it, all of this sucks. I guess you don't know if I brought a ride with me, do you?"

"I heard a motorcycle when you charged in. I can only assume it's under the barn."

"Fuck me," I hiss. "Just a sec." I pull back from him and shrug off my jacket. I pull off my Red Hood shirt. Underneath I'm wearing an undershirt. I take that off too. It's a chilly night, mid fall, he's shivering again and this time it's not from the shock.

"Hold up your arms." He does so and I try to maneuver the undershirt on him. He gets tangled for a moment and then whacks my hands away.

"I know how to put on clothes in the dark." He pulls on the undershirt and then I hand him my jacket. He puts it on. He'll be warmer now. I put my shirt back on and look down at his feet.

"You need shoes…" He wiggles his toes and it makes me smile.

"He probably had a house nearby," he suggests. I nod slowly and then crouch, "Here, get on my back."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I don't need you fucking up your foot on a rock right now. I carry you, we find his house, we get you some footgear and hopefully he has a phone. We'll call the cops. Let them do the work for once. Famous Billionaire's Son Escapes Mad Man will be tomorrow's headline and I'll sneak off into the shadows. Come on." He reluctantly gets up on my back. I wrap my arms around his legs to balance him and we go forward with only my little flashlight and the moon to guide me.

"Can we not call the cops?"

"You're kidding me right?"

"I just want to go home, Jay."

"Where's home?"

"My apartment."

"With no supervision?"

He's silent, I think he wants to protest, but he gets caught in his own mind, in his own arguments.

"You know, I know how to read brail. I know how to get around blindfolded. It shouldn't be a hard transition…"

"Please don't talk like that. You're depressing me."

"I'm just being realistic. He had no reason to use a chemical that wouldn't harm the retinas."

"Try being optimistic. I like it better when you're chirping."

He says nothing and I feel distinctly uncomfortable and worried. In bad situations I'm so used to his bad sense of humour. He's always so steady. He always gets through things. He keeps his cheer to annoy the enemy. He's used it enough times on me. It's annoying as all hell, but now that it's gone…

"Tell me what happened?" Keep me focused on anything else right now.

"He was a dentist," Dick said slowly.

"You're shitting me."

"Yeah, I am. He was actually an optometrist." It was a really weak attempt. He must feel my uncertainty. "The first time I go for an eye test in years and I pick the serial murdering rapist. I got a vibe. He picked up on it. He must have freaked out because he heard me flirting with the secretary about how I used to be a cop. He knocked me out on the chair. When I woke up I was tied up and gagged in the trunk of his car.

"Shit, and you couldn't escape?"

"I was drugged. He had more than just eye drops in his medicine cupboard."

"But usually you're immune to that sorta shi—"

"Can we say I tried and move on?" He's angry and his grip on me tightens a bit. "I tried to escape and I couldn't. I'm not Batman, alright? He caught me by surprise and used something new on the market to subdue me. I couldn't do anything. He had me trapped."

"Sorry, sorry," I realize it must sound like I'm lecturing him. _Why weren't you good enough to save yourself?_ I'm the last person that should be making him feel like that. Even with all of Dick's training there's going to be times when it won't be enough, when the villain lucks out. I'd be a hypocrite if I thought otherwise, but at least Dick got saved. I saved him.

That calms me down a little bit. Everything else we can deal with, but he's here with me, alive.

"I'm sorry," I say again.

"It's fine."

A house, thank fuck.

"I see a house," I tell him.

He nods against my shoulder sullenly, "That's good."

"Then what happened?"

He continued reluctantly, "He untied me when he took my vision. Didn't see me as a threat anymore. Probably regretted that. I broke his nose."

"Good," I tell him, my anger at the situation bleeds out a bit.

He's still for a moment and then he leans forward and kisses the back of my head.

"Sorry Jay, I'm just … thanks for saving me."

"I'm the only one allowed to fuck with you, you know that."

"No one's allowed to hit your big brother but you?"

"Yep."

I approach the house. It's all dark, I look at it wearily.

"How's it look?"

"Normal. I walk him up the steps and then put him down. I take him by the hand.

"Just follow me okay? The place might have trip wires or booby traps."

"I went to Bat-school too," He says with a tired smile. I lead him in to the house, it's dark. I flip a light switch. Light flickers on. Dick doesn't react to it.

"Lights work," I say reluctantly.

"Oh… okay, good."

I lead him down the hall to the living-room. Everything about this place screams normal.

"Here, sit down, I'll find shoes."

He nods. Sits down, hands in his lap. He has his eyes squeezed shut, like he's making a choice. My jacket's too big for him and he looks so small right now. He looks like a normal guy that's had an awful night. Not confident Nightwing, just scare Dick Grayson.

"What?" He looks up at me, his eyes open automatically, but they listlessly stare just a little to my left. He must have felt me looking.

"Nothing, just admiring your bone structure," I quip. I move away from him and make my way back to one of the bedrooms. Socks and heavier clothing would be good.

"Jealous?" I hear him call. He's really making an effort. It's not making me feel better. At this point I'm waiting for him to freak out. To scream or cry.

"Who am I? Drake?" I call back making an effort as well. I find the bedroom, open the door and immediately close it.

"Holy fuck!"

"What!" I hear him spring up.

"I'm fine, don't get up! I just tripped over a stack of books," The lie comes quickly. I open the door slowly again. Twenty pairs of eye balls stare at me in their jars. I reluctantly turn on the light and move in for a better look. Fuck, sick fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I shiver when I realize all of them are the same shade of sky blue as Dick's eyes. The bastard would have gone after him either way. Probably realized Dick was on to him, but wanted one last set for his collection—

A memory suddenly hits me. An office at night. At the desk is a woman, the secretary slumped face down on her datebook. There are three others as well, patients. They all have holes in their head from gunshot wounds. He killed them. I run into the examination rooms, but he's not here. I feel relief and terror because Dick's not here. So where is he?

I blink the memory away. My heart is pounding. Okay, I must have been on his trail. I must have known he had Dick.

I jump, a hand on my shoulder. I pull my gun, but it's Dick.

"Whoa cowboy, find any shoes?" He blindly runs a hand over my gun. I quickly put it away.

I hate it. I hate that he's in this room oblivious to all those pretty blue eyes staring at him that match his own. It feels like the eyes of the fucking Optometrist are staring at him. I push Dick to sit down on the bed. He sighs. He's getting annoyed at the treatment, but he's tolerating it because he probably doesn't want to get into a fight with me. I could just leave him. I'd never do that, but he doesn't know that. I'm still technically the sexy anti-hero in his life. My moods change on a dime. I'm still the problem child. I haven't shown him I've grown out of that. I haven't shown him I've healed, at least a little.

"I wouldn't just leave you, you know?" I say suddenly.

"I… know," He lies.

I try not to be hurt. It's not like I've earned his trust over the last few years. I copied him in New York with my Nightwing stunt. I tried to kill Drake and him over the cowl and I shot his kid. I shot the kid in the chest and if he died Dick would never have forgiven me...Hell… once I got my head out of my ass I probably would have never forgiven myself. He locked me up and it actually did help a bit. Gave me time to clear my head, but it felt like a betrayal at the time. When I 'broke out,' when we worked together it was sort of nice, I'd like to think I've leveled out.

I dig through the dresser and throw socks at his head. He barely catches them in time, but he still catches them. It says a lot about bat-training I suppose. I look through the shirts. I decide I don't want him wearing that bastards clothing so I take off my shirt and hand it to him. He shrugs off my jacket and puts it on. I put on a plain black dress shirt. I open the closet.

Fuck, more eyes. I don't swear, I just look down. Shoes. Thank Christ.

"What size are you?"

"Ten."

"Dainty footed are we?"

"Ten is the average Jason."

"You would know that wouldn't you?" I dig through the closet for sneakers. I don't find any, just loafers and dress shoes. I check the size. Ten. Average, alright I'll buy it. I get the most likely looking for walking and hand them to him. He puts them on. I raid the closet for a jacket to put over the shirt. The eyes continue to stare.

There's a phone by the bed.

"I'm going to see if I can call a cab." I tell him.

"Do you know where we are?"

"…That's a good point. I have a head wound, shut up."

"Not to mention it would kind of look bad for us, fleeing the scene in a cab."

"Shhh. Okay… come on, maybe he has a car." He stands, hesitates and then holds out his hand. I grasp it.

I hum an old Beatles song to fill the silence. He starts to as well and then we're both quietly singing in the creepy house filled with eyeballs. _I wanna hold your haaaaaand, I wanna hold your hand._. I wish I could say it was one of the most bizarre experiences of my life, but it doesn't even make top five. We're out and I lead him to the garage. There's a car. I sigh in relief. This nightmare's almost over.

…for me. I look at Dick. He frowns at my hesitation.

"What's going on?"

"Just looking for a jiffy, he has a car. Piece of crap, but it should get us to civilization."

"Okay." I let go of his hand. The garage is organized (like the eyes), I see what I need right away. Within a second I'm in the car. I unlock it and move to steer him to the passenger side, but he quickly fumbles for the handle himself. I ease myself back in the driver's seat pretending I wasn't trying to coddle him.

"You've been hotwiring since eleven so I'm going to assume this isn't going to be a problem?"

I'm already twisting the wires, "Nah, this'll be cake."

I fiddle around and in no time the engine roars to life.

"Buckle up."

The radio comes on blaring classical music. Dick quickly tries to find the right knob. I push his hand away and turn it off. He looks freaked out. I realize that's what the monster was playing when he had Dick in his trunk. His hands are shaking very slightly. He claps them trying to make them stop.

I pull out of the driveway in silence. This place is in the middle of nowhere, an old farmhouse, a blown up barn and a big field. Lack of light's a bitch. I drive us down the bumpy gravel road.

"What if it's permanent?"

"It won't be," I say quickly.

"You turned on the lights in the house. My eyes didn't react at all. There was no change, it's all just darkness."

"You're going to be fine."

"But what if I'm not… what will I do?"

"Same as you've always done, you'll survive."

"I won't be Nightwing anymore."

"Dick, it's—"

"Hell I won't even be an acrobat. I won't be Dick Grayson."

"No, you have to just—"

"I'll be useless."

"Oracle can't walk and look at all she's done," I suck at comfort. I had been waiting for it all to come crashing down, but I wasn't ready for it.

"Babs can see. I can't even help as an analyst. I can't even man the hub. I'm nothing."

"You're not nothing!" I skid to a halt. He jerks forward and uses his hands to steady himself. He doesn't look towards me. "You're not nothing," I repeat quietly. I reach out my hand to touch his shoulder.

"I'll never be able to fly again." Tears slide down his face. I unbuckle and pull him into a hug.

"You're not useless," I say again. Shit. Shit.

I wish the Optometrist was alive so I could kill him again.

He quietly sobs in my arms and I let him. I don't say a fucking word. Lots of people I know think crying's a weakness. I don't believe that. If you're able to let it out you'll have a better chance at dealing with it. Dick was acknowledging how fucking awful everything was right now. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel my own tears mingle with his.

He calms down and wipes his eyes and I start driving again. We don't talk about it.

"I'm taking you to my place," I decide. "We can figure it out together, no Super Friends doting and coddling, just you and me.

"Okay," he agrees.

He doesn't want his friends' pity. He doesn't even want their help. He just wants to figure things out by himself, but he'll need someone. Might as well be me.

I turn on the radio to some classic rock and he's soon asleep, his face is still wet.

_"I'll never be able to fly again."_

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. There's no way. No way Bruce will let this stand. He'll fix it. With all his goddamn money and all his goddamn friends there will be someone who can fix Dick Grayson. He knows magicians, aliens and gods.

Otherwise what's the use of him? What's his point if he can't save his own son?

My heart wrenches and I suddenly smell smoke. I want to break something, but I keep on driving.

* * *

I carry him out of the car.

"I can walk," He says drowsily.

"You're exhausted. I'm going to dump you on the bed and then dump the car in the river. He agrees tiredly. I carefully drop him onto my bed. He curls up, hugging a pillow burying his face in it.

I don't want to leave, but we'll be fucked if someone identifies that goddamn car.

I dump it and call the cops. This is your friendly neighbourhood Red Hood. The murderer you guys have been letting run free is dead. You'll have all the evidence your little hearts' desire at his house at such and such an address.

I hang up the payphone before they can ask me any questions.

When I get back Dick's asleep again and I'm glad. I'm not really sure what I'm doing. I don't want to talk it out and I'm sure he doesn't want to do that either. I'm too wired to sleep. I notice my jacket and his jeans have fallen off the side of the bed. He's in my shirt and his boxers. He's sleeping, but he's clinging to the pillow for dear life. I pick them up. I'm a neat freak I admit it. I feel a bump in one of my pockets… the CD…

I make sure Dick's soundly asleep and grab a laptop and headphones popping it in.

The video starts playing. It's Dick. He's asleep in a chair head slumped, he's not tied up. The camera's shaking slightly. I realize it's the Optometrist quivering with excitement. A hand comes on screen and gently pushes Dick's bangs back.

"Hey," The Optometrist says like he's whispering in a lover's ear. The hand moves down and tilts Dick's head up. He's studying his face.

"Perfect, you're perfect. You're the one. You're the one I've searched for."

My rage is so pure that I can't move. It's a good thing too otherwise I might need a new laptop.

He moves his hand and forces Dick's eyelid open. He gives a heavy sigh. He's obviously turned on.

The video goes black for a moment and then comes back on. It's dim. The camera isn't shaky anymore. It's on a tripod. Dick again. He's tied to a chair bound and gagged. He doesn't move. He just stares ahead at his captor.

"Hey beautiful." The Optometrist comes into the camera's view. He's not old like I expect. Probably mid-thirties. Blond hair. Looks normal. He's not the bad looking old geezer I've been picturing, he was just any guy on the street.

"I'm sure you're not feeling your best, don't worry, that'll wear off. I just need you immobile."

It suddenly made sense why Dick wasn't struggling away. He couldn't. He wasn't even blinking. The Optometrist pushed a tray of tools on screen including a two long needles. He starts preparing.

"You have the most beautiful eyes, Dick," He hums. "They're so full of joy and life and kindness. I really do think the eyes are the windows to the soul." He plunges the first needle carefully into Dick's eye. My own eyes itch at the intrusion. He repeats the action with the second eye. He pulls off his gloves and just… stands there running his fingers through Dick's hair. Dick slowly starts to quiver, to move. He's trying to work the gag out of his mouth. Oh god, he's been aware for the entire thing.

"Shh, it'll be fine Dick. You can think of me as a collector of sorts. People like you I fall in love with. Your eyes are what tell me. That shade of blue, it tells me you have the soul of an angel locked in a human body. I just want to free you. I just want to take care of your soul, but you're special. You're the angel I've been looking for. You're the one that saved me from the fire, aren't you?"

Insane, this guy was absolutely insane.

He removes the gag.

"What did you do?" Dick forces the words out, but he's still having trouble. The Optometrist begins to untie him.

"I'm preparing to remove them. I don't want you to feel anything and I don't want your angel eyes to see what I'm going to do to you next." He's freed him. Dick stands shakily. The Optometrist tries to pull him into a kiss, but bat-training takes over. Dick's head slams into his nose and there's a satisfying crack. The Optometrist cries. He grabs Dick and shoves him down. Dick's still too weak from the drugs and he can't see. The Optometrist is bigger and he pins him with his weight.

"You're too weak Dick, don't resist, I'm giving you your last earthly experience before you return to heaven. I'm going to save you like you saved me."

"Get off me you lunatic!"

"It's good I finally found you." He's lying on top of him whispering into his ear. "I had to do bad things to get you. I shot them all. I killed Suzie and Mr. O'Brian and Ms. Millingham and the others. The police will find out, they'll know who did it, but it's worth it. They wouldn't understand. I'm going to free your soul and then I'll expose myself to your holy fire."

The sound of a motorcycle bled over the audio. Cavalry's finally shown up. I watch as I pull up. I'm not wearing my hood, just my domino mask. I pull my gun and shoot him. He yells a bunch of bullshit and then pulls out the trigger for the bomb.

The camera cuts out. He wasn't a very good bomb maker. The collapsed barn smothered the fire instantly.

My hands are shaking. I take out the disk and break it in half.

* * *

I wake up on the couch, something heavy is leaning on me. It's Dick. He's dosing, snuggled beside me. I'd get the warm and fuzzies except my arm's fallen asleep and I know the reason why he's wrapped around me.

I pet his head with one hand while I shake out the other. "You really didn't get enough hugs as a kid did you Dickie-Bird?"

"Bruce only hugs on special occasions," he's awake, but he doesn't open his eyes.

"I was never very huggy either."

"You like it, face it," he nestles closer to me.

"You knocked over my table," I pointed out seeing the mess he made getting from the bedroom to the couch.

"Bill me," He sticks out his tongue.

"Don't think I won't… You seem like you're in a good mood," I say cautiously. He slowly smiles and opens his eyes.

"I can see light," He says contently. His pupils very slowly contract at the sun streaming through the window.

I kiss his forehead. He pulls down my head and kisses my lips. It's short and gentle and chaster than I would like it to be, but the sweetness of it strikes me and I feel as pleased as he looks.

"Thank you," He whispers. He still sounds half asleep. He shuffles for a better position. I roll over and wrap my arms around him. He lays his head on my chest and stares at the light. "It's just light and shadows right now, but I feel them getting better. Everything's slowly becoming sharper." He rolls onto his stomach and traces my face with his fingers. Around my eyes, across my mouth. He's trying to read me. I smile. He follows its curve and smiles back. He bends down and kisses my lips again. This time it's longer and it makes me moan. I push him back a little. He frowns at me.

"You're vulnerable and feeling elated right now—" I begin, I'm about to be the perfect gentleman. He snickers at me and kisses me again.

"Jason, do you have any idea how rare it is for you to be in a good enough mood to let me touch you in a way that doesn't involve me throwing you off a bridge?"

I run my hand through his hair. Shit, really? He—?

"I let go," I point out. Then I push his face against mine, he's smirking.

"You're too busy making a scene most of the time. Nice to have you focused on me for once."

"All you had to do was get kidnapped, have some trauma, and instantly get better," I kiss his nose. I'm just going to keep kissing him until he tells me to stop. "Actually," I say between his jaw and his eyebrow, "You could have just fucking said something and I would have—"

"Come running?"

"Walked at a dignified pace to sweep you off your feet," I correct. He has nice ears…

He chuckles and it makes my lips tingle.

"I'm not instantly better," He's tone is darker for a moment.

"You're still traumatised?"

"You watched the video, didn't you?"

"…Yeah."

"I'm not just going to get over it. What I almost lost I… what he almost did. I couldn't defend myself and I felt so—but it was one of those seize life while you have it sort of experiences as well. Added bonus this is really comforting." His head is under my chin now and he's curled around me like a giant affectionate cat. He's not going to let me up anytime soon. "I've decided to self-medicate by hugging you."

"I can see that, and I have absolutely no problem with this, but you know who will?"

"Damian," He nods. "Yeah, you might wanna sleep with one eye open when he gets back."

"Uh, no I was taking about the big one."

"Tim likes you more than you think. He totally gets your tragic past and stuff. He just thinks you're a tool… mostly because you are."

"… the bigger one."

"What are you talking about? Alfred loves you."

I sigh. So this is how he's going to play it.

"I mean Batman."

He snorts, "Bruce always finds a problem with who I date. Kory was too violent, Bab's was in college and I was in high school, Roy was… well Roy. You should have heard his lecture on arrows."

"So we're dating now?"

"Hey, you saved my life, thwarted a villain, comforted me in my darkest hour and found me shoes. In superhero life that's the equivalent of going steady."

"Do you really want that?" I'm softer, gentler than I would have liked to be. I can't really believe it and I know he's still fucked up from last night and all of this could be from his euphoria at the simple act of seeing light.

"I want it," He whispers sadly. "But I don't know if we can have it," he reluctantly admits. "Because at the end of the night I'm still Nightwing and you're still Red Hood and you kill people. You killed someone for me last night and I don't know how to feel about that right now. I just want to pretend for a little bit that we're not screwed by circumstance and our conflicting morality, okay?"

I kiss the top of his head, "Okay. Let's go steady."

I know he's smiling. "Perfect. Wait'll Bruce sees me in your shirt. He'll be so confused."

"He'll stick you in a nunnery."

"I'm a guy."

"I know. He'll try to convince you to date them instead of me."

"Hmm, a Covent of Nuns versus Red Hood the Outlaw. I'd have to think about it."

"I have something that a whole Convent of nuns doesn't have."

"A penis?"

"Yeah…yeah, there's that."

"Red hair?"

"I'm dying it black again actually."

"Oh," he touches my hair curiously. "Suddenly I'm not attracted to you anymore."

"Liar."

"What do you have that nuns don't have?"

"The answer was a penis."

He snickers.

"What's black and white and red all over?" He asks.

"A newspaper?"

"No, Red Hood in a nun's habit."

"Kinky bastard."

"It's the best of both worlds, Jaybird."

"I guess you don't feel like having sex?"

I swear it wasn't the part of dressing in drag that's turning me on, it's the whole damn situation, but I know his response before he says it.

"Nope," He answers bluntly, "Gonna not be doing that for a little while."

"Just checking."

"It's cool, I'm a guy too. I get it. I'm hot."

"You're way too well adjusted."

"It's sad, but this isn't even top ten of Dick Grayson's biggest traumas," He shrugs. "I mean… it's still affecting me, but after Donna died and Wally disappeared? After Lian and Garth and the death of Bruce? After you? I think this one's going to be easy to get over. Is that… does that sound strange?"

"I hope it's just that easy."

"I'll have help."

"Yeah," I whisper.

Yeah he will.


End file.
